Love 'Em All ... (Day 6 & 7)

This is HARD!  Not the loving people part.  It is hard keeping on your toes looking for people whose situation you can "speak in to."  It is very difficult to remember step by step, moment by moment, that loving someone is not necessarily a BIG thing.  It's just  doing what needs to be done when you see the opportunity.  Like ...

Day six ... Today I held a door.  Yup.  I held a door open for someone who obviously needed it.  That's pretty much a small thing.  I was at a "quick mart" kind of place.  I parked my car and walked to the door.  As I reached for the handle I noticed a woman behind me walking from the gas pumps.  She was at least 30 feet away.  I mean, really she was barely in front of her car.  Her purse was slung over her shoulder.  He other hand held a cane which she leaned on heavily at each step.  But she was a long way off.  I just noticed her.  No bells and whistles.  No Voice of God booming from the clouds.  She was just there and I was just going through the door and in the process of letting it close behind me when it occured to me ... a good guy would hold the door.  Jesus would hold the door.  That last one cinched it.  If Jesus would do it then I want to do it.  I took the short step back to the door and held it open.  She kept coming.  Then I noticed the lottery tickets in her hand.  aww geez.  If I hold the door for her rather than getting in line myself she will get in line ahead of me.  She will take the cashiers time as she scans every ticket and then she will want to buy more.  All I wanted was to fill a quick cup with ice and caffienated goodness and be on my way.  I was actually in somewhat of a hurry.   But once you realize Jesus would do something, good luck talking yourself out of doing it.  I mean, if you have a soul.  The lady finally reached the sidewalk, hoisted herself up on it, stepped in front of me, walked through the door, got in line ... and never said a word.  No "thank you."  No smile.  Not even a grunt.  Nothing.  Okay.  I walked toward the cold drink dispenser, grabbed what I wanted, and waited in line behind her while she paid for her gas, scanned her tickets, bought new tickets, and grabbed a carton of cigerettes for good measure.  And I felt so very good about myself later as I left the store.  Uh-uh.  Actually, no I didn't.  I felt irritated.  Irritated at her for not even acknowledging my self-sacrificing ways.  But mainly I felt irritated at myself for feeling irritated.  I have to either get completely ON this train or get OFF it altogether.

I'm staying on.

Day Day seven ... Today I stunk at this.  I'm chalking it up as a swing and a miss.  Yes, pastor's strike out too.